Nordic diet: Everything you need to know

As soon as you get convinced that a particular diet is best for you, another diet promising more health benefits and weight loss comes into the picture. The new diet basking in the limelight is the Nordic diet.

What is the Nordic diet? The Nordic diet is a plant-based diet that includes eating root veggies, mushrooms, cabbage and other local products grown in Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland). The diet also includes eating fatty fish, dairy and whole grains.

Scandinavian chefs made this diet with a mission to make healthy and delicious local dishes. The diet is very similar to the Mediterranean diet (encourages consuming a glass of red wine and olive oil on a daily basis). The emphasis is on having canola oil (rapeseeds) and allowing alcohol in moderation.

HistoryThe diet is not really new. Back in 2004, some of the chefs from the Nordic countries joined together to create New Nordic Cuisine Manifesto. The aim of the diet was simple, to make the diet healthier and different from the already existing ones. The chefs aimed at creating a diet which was sustainable, healthy and based on seasonal foods. What it is aboutThe Nordic diet is not about cutting calories and ditching carbs, but healthy eating which is equally good for you and your environment (that is why focusing on plant foods). The World Health Organisation says that the Nordic diet is healthy and may help prevent many diseases. Benefits of the Nordic dietNordic diet foods have an abundance of disease-fighting nutrients. Whole foods and plant-based foods are healthy for us in all the ways. The diet includes fatty fish and dairy so that your body keeps getting a good amount of protein, omega-3 and vitamin D. The diet is supposed to be low in sodium, saturated fats and added sugars. The three things that have been clearly linked to obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

The studyA study conducted in 2011 found that the Nordic diet improved lipid profiles, insulin sensitivity, cholesterol level and blood pressure of people who followed it religiously.

Another 2014 study claims that the diet reduced the inflammation-boosting genes in obese people.

Yet another study conducted in 2015 says that the diet lowers the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 57,000 Danish men and women were evaluated during the course of this study.

Weight lossLow in calories and high in gut-filling fibre, the diet is good for people with wider waistline. Foods As mentioned plant-based foods, dairy, whole foods and fatty fish can be consumed when on Nordic diet. Berries, root vegetables, cabbage, mushrooms, whole grains, yoghurt, canola oil and fatty fish are some foods that can be consumed on a Nordic diet.